Filing drawer



W. R. WEST FILING DRAWER Filed Aug. 22, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO/v wwwR R WEST FILING lDRAWER AWM m, mm,

Filed Aug. 22, 1939 2 Shams-Smet 2 l Hlm@ 'Uuml' 6MM gw.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED ST 2,238,088 'FILING DRAWER Ross R. West,NSan Francisco, Calif., `assigno'r to M. G. West Company, San Francisco,Calif., a corporation of California Application August 22, 1939, SerialNo. 291,359

8 Claims.

This invention relates to` filing drawers and particularly to acompression plate which is adjustable longitudinally of the drawer, thepresent inventionbeing an improved or moded form ofthe invention`disclosed in my co-pending application entitled Filing drawer, ledAugust 22, 1939, Serial No. 291,358.

In the co-pending application referred to, a compressor plate isdisclosed which is pivoted to the bottom of the drawer and at the rearend thereof. The compressor plate is actuated by a pair of sliding barsdisposed one in each side of the drawer by being connected with saidbars through means of a cross-bar. These sliding bars, together with thepivoted `compressor plate, `cause compression oi the" files within thedrawer due to spring pressure exerted on the sliding bars at all times,but the spring tension is such that the illes may be readily spreadapart for removal or examination iof the contents. This structure hasproven very satisfactory where the iiling drawer is kept substantiallyfull, but it requires the `use of intermediate follower plates when onlypartially filled.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplifythe construction and operation of iiling drawers of the characterdescribed; `and particularly to provide a compressor plate which isadjustable with relation to the sliding bars and the bottom of thedrawer so that it may assume any desired position intermediate the endsof Vthe drawer to maintain the les in an upright partially compressedposition whether the drawer is partially or completely filled with les.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view lof a filing cabinetdrawer, said View being partially broken away and said view also showingthe compressor plate;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of one of thesliding bars in the drawer, the rack bar, the gear engaging same, thecross shaft, the gear housing plate, and the clutching plate, said Viewshowing `the housing and clutching plate moved awayirom the; gear sothat their construction can be seen;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the several parts referred toin Fig. 2 in their assembled position;

Fig. 5 is an end view .looking from the rear side of the compressionplate, said View showing only a portion of the compression plate andsaid View also showing the sides of the drawer, the channels formed atthe upper edges of the sides, and also showing the sliding bars and themecha anism carried thereby;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section `taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged plan'section taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a detail View of the lower edge of the compressor plate, saidView showing only a portion of the compressor plate.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 2 and 4,A indicates the front panel of a iilin'g drawer, 2-2 the sides, and 3the bottom thereof. In the bottom proper and extending centrally andlongitudinally is a depressed channel with side walls 4-4 in which areformed uniformly spaced slots 5 terminating in enlarged V-shaped notchedends as indicated at 6. The purpose of notches and slots willhereinafter appear.

The upper side edges of the drawer are channeled as indicated at 'l-'l,and these channels form guideways for a pair oi sliding bars 8--8 whichare connected at the rear ends by a crossbar 9. Disposed within thedrawer is a compressor plate l0 on the lower edge of which isweldedorsecured a plate Il having a pair of side lugs I2|2. The plate Il has awidth slightly less than the depressed channel and normally extendsdownwardly into the same. By swinging the plate IU to a verticalposition, the side lugsl2--i2 will register with the slots 5 5, therebypermitting the plate to be lifted upwardly and out of the depressedchannel, and it may then be moved to any position intermediate the endsof the drawer and may again be reinserted inthe depressed channel byregistering the lugs |2|2 with the slots 5--5. When reinserted, apivotal connection is formed between the compressor plate and the bottomof the drawer, as the compression plate is free to pivot on the lugsI2--I2 which rest in the V-shaped notches ii. The plate is'at the sametime secured against removal by the shoulders 6a. except when -avertical position is assumed, and it is then removable only by intent,as manual force is required to lift and disengage the plate. Thecompressor plate is actuated by the sliding bars 8-8 and is adjustablewith relation'to the same. vThis is accomplished as follows:

Formed at each end of the compressor plate .and extending lrearwardlyfrom the same Ais a are free to ride back and forth in the sliding bars8 8, but inasmuch as the sliding bars in v which the rack bars areformed are depended'A upon to actuate the compressor p late Ill,A meansmust be provided for locking the gears againstv rotation, as a xedrelationship between shaft I 6 and the sliding bars must be maintainedwhen actuation of the compressor 'plate is' desired. j

This is accomplished as follows: Slidably mounted in each sliding bar isa gear housing plateY 20. Formed in one end'of each plate is an opening2I and in the opposite end a notch 22. Cooperating with each housingplate is a clutching plate 23 and formed on each plate 23 are two lugs24 and 25. The lugs 24 extend through the openings 2I of the housingplates, while the lugs .25 extend through the notches 22, and undernormal conditions lugs 25 also extend between the teeth of the gears I1soas to lock or dog the gears and shaft I6 against rotation withrelation to the gear racks I8, thereby retaining shaft I6 and thecompressor plate I0 in a fixed position with relation to the slidingbars. Means are, however, provided for disengaging or withdrawing thelugs 25 from between the teeth of the respective gears I'I whenadjustment between the compressor plate and the sliding bars is desired,and this is accomplished as follows:

Mounted on shaft I6 are two tubular sleeves 26, the outer ends of whichextend through the being essential to permit partial rotation of the ..f

sleeves about shaft IS as will hereinafter appear. On the inner end ofeach sleeve 26 and extending upwardly therefrom is a finger grip 29, andextending downwardly from each sleeve is a similar member in the form ofan angularly disposed arm 30, and between the sleeves is mounted acompression spring SI. This spring normally forces the sleeves 26outwardly on shaft I6 and thereby maintains the clutching plates inclutching position. On the other hand, if it is desired to disengage theclutching plates, or, in other words, to retract the lugs 25 frombetween the teeth of the gears I 'I when adjustment of the compressionplate is desired, it can be accomplished in two ways:

First, by grasping the compression plate by its upper edge and swingingit to a vertical position and then lifting it upwardly and vertically,lugs I2-I2 are free to clear and pass up through the slots 5-5. At thesame time the inclined arms 30 will be engaged by a member 33 havingoppositely inclined cam faces 34-34 and these arms will thus be forcedtogether, thereby pulling the sleeves 26 together and, as they areconwardly to causethe lugs I2-I2 to enter the slots 5--5 and at the sametime to release the arms 30, and when these are released spring 3I willforce the sleeves and clutching plates outwardly and the gears will belocked with relation to the rack bars and the sliding bars in which therack bars are formed.

The second way in which the same operation may be accomplished is tograsp the compression plate with one hand and swing it to verticalposition and lift it, then to grasp the nger bars 29 with the fingers ofthe other hand and press them together to cause release of the clutchingApla-tes.

, The first method of adjusting the compression Y plate is obviously themore desirable, as it rewith files, and if the compressor plate isproperly adjusted the les will stand in a vertical position and will bepartially compressed when the drawer is closed, as compression of thefiles is obtained by forcing the cross-bar 9 which connects the innerends of the sliding bars against the inside frame or back of thecabinet, when the drawer is pushed inwardly into closed position; butwhen the drawer is open the sliding bars will assume the dotted lineposition shown at 'Ia in Fig. 4, and the compressor plate the dottedline'position indicated at Illa. In this position compression on thefiles is relieved and they are freely accessible for opening, removal orotherwise. On the other hand, when the drawer is closed or pushedrearwardly into the cabinet, bar 9 strikes the inside frame of thecabinet, causing the sliding bars to move back into the channeled tracksI of the drawer. At the same time the compressor plate swings about thelugs I2-I2 as a pivot from the dotted line position Ia to the verticalfull line position, thereby straightening up the files and placing themunder compression again. The sliding bars may be spring actuated asdisclosed in my co-pending application heretofore referred to, in whichcase the compressor plate will tend to assume a vertical position at alltimes.

Be that as it may, the structure here disclosed provides a pivotalsupport for the bottom or lower edge of the compressor plate at anypoint between the front and rear end of the drawer, and it provides anadjustable connection between the sliding bars and the compressor platewhereby it is actuated regardless of its position intermediate the endsof the drawer.

It was previously stated that the sleeves must be free to partiallyrotate about shaft I6, and for that reason the collar connection betweenthe sleeves and the clutching plates was provided as shown in Fig. 7.This is due to the fact that the compressor plate has a vswingingmovement from the dotted to the vertical position shown in Fig. 4. In soswinging the sleeves are partially rotated about shaft I6 as the fingergrips and the angularly disposed arms are in substantial contact withthe rear surface of the compressor plate. Hence if the sleeves weresecured to the clutching plates, rotation of the sleeves could not takeplace nor could the Acompressor plate tilt, but by providing the swivelor collar connection, partial rotation is permitted and the .compressorplate is free to swing or tilt.

While this and other features of my invention have been more or lessspecifically described for purposes of illustration, I wish itunderstood that modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims. x

Having thus described and illustrated my in-` vention, what `I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ling cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of sliding barsmounted one in each side of the drawer and adapted during `slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars,

a connection between said shaft and the compression plate whereby atilting movement is transmitted to the compression plate duringr slidingmovement of the bars, means for adjusting the shaft longitudinally ofthe sliding bars to permit the compression plate to assume any positionintermediate the ends of the drawer, and means for forming a pivotalconnection between the lower edge of the compression plate and thebottom of the drawer in any position of the compression plateintermediate the ends of the drawer.

2. In a filing cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of slidinglbars mounted one in each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars, a connection between said shaft and thecom-- pression plate whereby a tilting movement is transmitted to thecompression plate during sliding movement of the bars, means foradjusting the shaft longitudinally of the sliding bars to permit thecompression plate to assume any position intermediate the ends of thedrawer, means for securing the shaft against movement with relation tothe sliding bars when adjusted, and means for forming a pivotalconnection between the lower edge of the compression plate and thebottom of the drawer in any position of the compression plateintermediate the ends of the drawer.

3. In a filing cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of slidingbars mounted one in each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars, a connection between said shaft and thecompression plate whereby a tilting movement is transmitted to thecompression plate during sliding movement of the bars, means foradjusting the shaft longitudinally of the sliding bars to permit thecompression plate to assume any position intermediate the ends of thedrawer, a pivotal connection between the lower edge of the compressionplate and the bottom of the drawer, and means for adjusting saidconnection to assume any position intermediate the ends of the drawer.

4. In a filing cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of slidingbars mounted one at each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars, a connection between said shaft and thecompression plate whereby a tilting movement is transmitted to thecompression plate during sliding movement of the bars, means foradjusting the shaft longitudinally of the sliding bars to permit thecompression plate to assume any position intermediate the ends of thedrawer, a pair of lugs at the lower edge of the compressor plate andforming a pivotal support therefor, and a plurality of depressionsformed longitudinally of the drawer to receive the lugs in any positionof the compression plate intermediate the ends of the drawer.

5. In a filing cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of slidingbars mounted one at each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting thesliding bars, a gear on each end of the shaft, a gear rackon each sliding bar with which the correspending gear intermeshes,meansv for locking the vgears against rotation with relation to the gearracks to secure the shaft with relation to the sliding bars, other meansfor releasing the gears Ito permit adjustment of the shaftlongitudinally of the drawer and the sliding bars, a connection betweenthe shaft and the compression plate whereby a tilting movement istransmitted to the compression plate during sliding movement of thelbars, and an adjustable pivotal connection between the lower edge ofthe :compression plate and the bottom of the drawer, whereby thecompression plate may be moved longitudinally of the drawer when theposition ,of the shaft is adjusted longitudinally of the sliding bars.

6. In a filing cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of slidingbars mounted one at each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars, a gear on each end of the shaft, a gearrack on each sliding bar with which the corresponding gear intermeshes,a clutching plate at each end of the cross shaft, a lug on each plateand normally projecting inwardly between the teeth of the gears toclutch the gears against rotation with relation to the rack bars, aspring normally maintaining the plates and lugs in clutching position,other means for disengaging the lugs with the teeth of the gears topermit adjustment of the shaft longitudinally of the drawer and slid- 4Uing bars, a connection between the shaft and the compression platewhereby a tilting movement is transmitted to the compression plateduring sliding movement of the bars, and an adjustable pivotalconnection between thelower edge of the compression plate and the bottomof the drawer, whereby the compression plate may be moved longitudinallyof the drawer when the position of the shaft is adjusted longitudinallyof the sliding bars.

7. In a ling cabinet drawer a compression plate, a pair of sliding barsmounted one at each side of the drawer and adapted during slidingmovement to project beyond the rear end of the drawer, a cross shaftconnecting the sliding bars, a gear on each end of the shaft, a gearrack on each sliding lbar with which the corresponding gear intermeshes,a clutching plate at each end of the cross shaft, a lug on each plateand normally projecting inwardly between the teeth o1' the gears toclut-ch the gears against rotation with relation to the rack bars, aspring normally maintaining the plates and lugs in clutching position, aconnection between the shaft and the compression plate whereby tiltingmovement is transmitted to the compression plate during sliding movementof the bars, a pivotal connection between the lower edge of thecompressor and the bottom of the drawer, said pivotal connection beingadjustable longitudinally of the drawer, and said pivotal connectionbeing disengaged by swinging the compressor plate to a vertical positionand lifting it away from the bottom, and means actuated by the Verticallifting movement of the compression plate for simultaneously releasingthe clutching plates to permit the compression plate to be moved longipression plate and the sliding bars, said 'pivotal connection beinglongitudinally adjustable with relation to the bars, and alongitudinally adjustable pivotal connection between the lower edge ofthe compression plate and the bottom of the drawer.

ROSS R. WEST.

